Assignment messages acknowledging access attempt without assigning resources

ABSTRACT

A mobile station (MS), a base station subsystem (BSS), and various methods are described herein that enable the MS to receive acknowledgement of an access attempt for performing a multilateration timing advance (MTA) procedure using the Access Burst method without also being assigned resources.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisionalapplication Ser. Nos. 62/453,840, 62/475,369, and 62/477,806respectively filed on Feb. 2, 2017, Mar. 23, 2017, and Mar. 28, 2017.The entire contents of each of these documents are hereby incorporatedby reference herein for all purposes.

RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application is related to the co-filed U.S. patent application Ser.Nos. ______ and ______, each entitled “Assignment Messages AcknowledgingAccess Attempt without Assigning Resources” (P71284-US2 and P71639-US2),each of which claims the benefit of priority to U.S. ProvisionalApplication Ser. Nos. 62/453,840, 62/475,369, and 62/477,806. The entirecontents of each of these documents are hereby incorporated by referenceherein for all purposes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to the wirelesstelecommunications field and, more particularly, to a mobile station(MS), a base station subsystem (BSS), and various methods that enablethe MS to acknowledgement of an access attempt for performing amultilateration timing advance (MTA) procedure using the Access Burstmethod without also being assigned resources.

BACKGROUND

The following abbreviations are herewith defined, at least some of whichare referred to within the following description of the presentdisclosure.

-   3GPP 3rd-Generation Partnership Project-   AGCH Access Grant Channel-   ASIC Application Specific Integrated Circuit-   BSS Base Station Subsystem-   BSSMAP Base Station Subsystem Mobile Application Part-   BSSMAP-LE BSSMAP-Location Services Extension-   BTS Base Transceiver Station-   CN Core Network-   DSP Digital Signal Processor-   EC Extended Coverage-   EC-AGCH Extended Coverage Access Grant Channel-   EC-GSM Extended Coverage Global System for Mobile Communications-   EC-PDTCH Extended Coverage-Packet Data Traffic Channel-   EC-RACH Extended Coverage-Random Access Channel-   EDGE Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution-   EGPRS Enhanced General Packet Radio Service-   eMTC Enhanced Machine Type Communications-   GSM Global System for Mobile Communications-   GERAN GSM/EDGE Radio Access Network-   GPRS General Packet Radio Service-   IA Immediate Assignment-   IE Information Element-   IoT Internet of Things-   IPA Immediate Packet Assignment-   LTE Long-Term Evolution-   MME Mobility Management Entity-   MS Mobile Station-   MTA Multilateration Timing Advance-   MTC Machine Type Communications-   NB-IoT Narrow Band Internet of Things-   PDN Packet Data Network-   PDTCH Packet Data Traffic Channel-   RACH Random Access Channel-   RAN Radio Access Network-   RLC Radio Link Control-   SGSN Serving GPRS Support Node-   SMLC Serving Mobile Location Center-   TA Timing Advance-   TBF Temporary Block Flow-   TLLI Temporary Logical Link Identifier-   TS Technical Specification-   TSG Technical Specification Group-   UE User Equipment-   UL Uplink-   UMTS Universal Mobile Telephony System-   WCDMA Wideband Code Division Multiple Access-   WiMAX Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access

At the 3rd-Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Technical SpecificationGroup (TSG) Radio Access Network (RAN) Meeting #72, a Work Item on“Positioning Enhancements for GERAN” was approved (see RP-161260; Busan,Korea; 13-16 Jun. 2016—the contents of which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference for all purposes), wherein one candidate method forrealizing improved accuracy when determining the position of a mobilestation (MS) is multilateration timing advance (MTA) (see RP-161034;Busan, Korea; 13-16 Jun. 2016—the contents of which are herebyincorporated herein by reference for all purposes), which relies onestablishing the MS position based on timing advance (TA) values inmultiple cells.

At the 3GPP TSG-RAN1 Meeting #86, a proposal based on a similar approachwas made also to support positioning of Narrow Band Internet of Things(NB-IoT) mobiles (see R1-167426; Gothenburg, Sweden; 22-26 Aug. 2016—thecontents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference for allpurposes).

TA is a measure of the propagation delay between a base transceiverstation (BTS) and the MS, and since the speed by which radio wavestravel is known, the distance between the BTS and the MS can be derived.Further, if the TA applicable to the MS is measured within multiple BTSsand the positions of these BTSs are known, the position of the MS can bederived using the measured TA values. The measurement of the TA requiresthat the MS synchronize to each neighbor BTS and transmit a signaltime-aligned with the estimated timing of the downlink channel receivedfrom each BTS. The BTS measures the time difference between its own timereference for the downlink channel, and the timing of the receivedsignal (transmitted by the MS). This time difference is equal to twotimes the propagation delay between the BTS and the MS (one propagationdelay of the BTS's synchronization signal sent on the downlink channelto the MS, plus one equal propagation delay of the signal transmitted bythe MS back to the BTS).

Once the set of TA values are established using a set of one or moreBTSs during a given positioning procedure, the position of the MS can bederived through a so called multilateration timing advance procedurewherein the position of the MS is determined by the intersection of aset of hyperbolic curves associated with each BTS. The calculation ofthe position of the MS is typically carried out by a serving positioningnode (i.e., serving Serving Mobile Location Center (SMLC)), whichimplies that all of the derived TA and associated BTS positioninformation needs to be sent to the positioning node (i.e., the servingSMLC) that initiated the positioning procedure.

Referring to FIG. 1 (PRIOR ART) there is shown a diagram of an exemplarywireless communication network 100 used to help explain themultilateration timing advance procedure in determining a position of amobile station 102 (MS 102). The exemplary wireless communicationnetwork 100 has several nodes which are shown and defined herein asfollows:

-   -   Foreign BTS 104 ₃: A BTS 104 ₃ (shown as foreign BTS3 104 ₃)        associated with a BSS 106 ₃ (shown as non-serving BSS3 106 ₃)        that uses a positioning node 108 ₂ (shown as non-serving SMLC2        108 ₂) that is different from a positioning node (shown as        serving SMLC1 108 ₁) which is used by the BSS 106 ₁ (shown as        serving BSS1 106 ₁) that manages the cell serving the MS 102        when the positioning (MTA) procedure is initiated. The derived        TA information (TA3 114 ₃) and identity of the corresponding        cell are relayed by the BSS 106 ₃ (shown as non-serving BSS3 106        ₃), the SGSN 110 (core network), and the BSS 106 ₁ (shown as        serving BSS1 106 ₁) to the serving positioning node (shown as        serving SMLC1 108 ₁) (i.e., in this case the non-serving BSS3        106 ₃ has no context for the MS 102). The BSS 106 ₃ (shown as        non-serving BSS3 106 ₃) can be associated with one or more BTSs        104 ₃ (only one shown) and a BSC 112 ₃ (shown as non-serving        BSC3 112 ₃).    -   Local BTS 104 ₂: A BTS 104 ₂ (shown as local BTS2 104 ₂)        associated with a BSS 106 ₂ (shown as non-serving BSS2 106 ₂)        that uses the same positioning node 108 ₁ (shown as serving        SMLC1 108 ₁) as the BSS 106 ₁ (shown as serving BSS1 106 ₁) that        manages the cell serving the MS 102 when the positioning (MTA)        procedure is initiated. The derived TA information (TA2 114 ₂)        and identity of the corresponding cell are relayed by the BSS        106 ₂ (shown as non-serving BSS2 106 ₂) and the BSS 106 ₁ (shown        as serving BSS1 106 ₁) to the serving positioning node (shown as        serving SMLC1 108 ₁) (i.e., in this case the non-serving BSS2        106 ₂ has no context for the MS 102) (i.e., inter-BSS        communications allows the non-serving BSS2 106 ₂ to relay the        derived TA information (TA2 114 ₂) and the identity of the        corresponding cell to the serving BSS1 106 ₁). The BSS 106 ₂        (shown as non-serving BSS2 106 ₂) can be associated with one or        more BTSs 104 ₂ (only one shown) and a BSC 1122 (shown as        non-serving BSC2 1122).    -   Serving BTS 104 ₁: A BTS 104 ₁ (shown as serving BTS1 104 ₁)        associated with a BSS 106 ₁ (shown as serving BSS1 106 ₁) that        manages the cell serving the MS 102 when the positioning (MTA)        procedure is initiated. The derived TA information (TA1 114 ₁)        and identity of the corresponding cell are sent directly by the        BSS 106 ₁ (shown as serving BSS1 106 ₁) to the serving        positioning node 108 ₁ (shown as serving SMLC1 108 ₁) (i.e., in        this case the serving BSS1 106 ₁ has a context for the MS 102).        The BSS 106 ₁ (shown as serving BSS1 106 ₁) can be associated        with one or more BTSs 104 ₁ (only one shown) and a BSC 112 ₁        (shown as serving BSC1 112 ₁).    -   Serving SMLC 108 ₁: The SMLC 108 ₁ (shown as serving SMLC1 108        ₁) that commands the MS 102 to perform the positioning (MTA)        procedure (i.e., the SMLC 108 ₁ sends a Radio Resource Location        services Protocol (RRLP) Multilateration Timing Advance Request        message to the MS 102).    -   Serving BSS 106 ₁: The BSS 106 ₁ (shown as serving BSS1 106 ₁)        associated with the serving BTS 104 ₁ (shown as serving BTS1 104        ₁) (i.e., the BSS 106 ₁ that has context information for the        Temporary Logical Link Identity (TLLI) corresponding to the MS        102 for which the positioning (MTA) procedure has been        triggered).    -   Non-serving BSS 106 ₂ and 106 ₃: A BSS 106 ₃ (shown as        non-serving BSS3 106 ₃) associated with a foreign BTS 104 ₃        (shown as foreign BTS3 104 ₃) and a BSS 106 ₂ (shown as        non-serving BSS2 106 ₂) associated with a local BTS 104 ₂ (shown        as local BTS2 104 ₂) (i.e., the BSSs 106 ₂ and 106 ₃ do not have        context information for the TLLI corresponding to the MS 102 for        which the positioning (MTA) procedure has been triggered).

FIG. 1 is an illustration of an exemplary MTA procedure involving threeBTSs 104 ₁, 104 ₂, and 104 ₃ associated with three timing advance (TA)values 114 ₁, 114 ₂, 114 ₃ for a particular MS 102. The multilaterationcan involve more than three BTSs 104 ₁, 104 ₂, and 104 ₃ and more thanthree TA values 114 ₁, 114 ₂, 114 ₃. FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplarywireless communication network 100 showing the basic nodes which areneeded to explain the positioning (MTA) process. It should beappreciated that the exemplary wireless communication network 100includes additional nodes which are well known in the art.

The serving SMLC 108 ₁ may decide to use the MTA procedure uponreceiving a Base Station Subsystem Mobile Application Part-LocationServices Extension (BSSMAP-LE) Perform Location Request message from theserving BSS 106 ₁ that includes the ‘BSS Multilateration Capability’Information Element (IE). The RRLP Multilateration Timing AdvanceRequest message sent by the serving SMLC 108 ₁ to the MS 102 to triggeran MTA type positioning event may include cell specific assistanceinformation to be used by the MS 102 if it selects one or more of thosecells for performing the MTA procedure. The MTA procedure may beperformed using one of the following methods.

Method 1: MTA—Radio Link Control (RLC) Data Block Method.

This method involves the MS 102 sending an access request on the RandomAccess Channel (RACH)/Extended Coverage-Random Access Channel (EC-RACH)and being assigned a single RLC data block transmission opportunity on aPacket Data Traffic Channel (PDTCH)/Extended Coverage-Packet DataTraffic Channel (EC-PDTCH). The serving BSS 106 ₁ uses the transmittedRLC data block for deriving Timing Advance information and the contentthereof for acquiring other information (e.g., TLLI) used by the servingSMLC 108 ₁ for proceeding with the positioning estimate.

Method 2: MTA—Extended Access Burst Method.

This method involves an MS 102 sending an access request on theRACH/EC-RACH using an Access Burst and being assigned a Timing Advancevalue which the MS 102 then uses to send an Extended Access Burst on theRACH/EC-RACH. The serving BSS 106 ₁ uses the Extended Access Burst forderiving Timing Advance information and for acquiring other information(e.g., Short ID) used by the serving SMLC 108 ₁ for proceeding with thepositioning estimate (see R6-160234; entitled “Extended Access Burst forTA estimation (update of R6-160205);” Source: Nokia; Reno, Nev., U.S.A.;14-18 Nov. 2016—the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein byreference for all purposes).

Method 3: MTA—Access Burst Method.

This method involves an MS 102 sending an access request on theRACH/EC-RACH using an Access Burst with no additional transmissionsperformed by the MS 102. It can only be used in cells managed by theserving BSS 106 ₁ and makes use of a cell specific Short ID (e.g., 8bits) value provided to the MS 102 as part of the assistance informationit receives from the serving SMLC 108 ₁ in an RRLP MTA message. Theserving BSS 106 ₁ uses the access burst alone for deriving TimingAdvance information used by the serving SMLC 108 ₁ for proceeding withthe positioning estimate.

When the MS 102 uses the Access Burst method in any given cell, the MS102 needs to know whether or not its access burst has been successfullyreceived by the serving BSS 106 ₁, and as such the serving BSS 106 ₁needs to send the MS 102 some form of acknowledgement that confirmsreception of the access burst without also assigning the MS 102 radioresources for an uplink Temporary Block Flow (TBF) (i.e., since no RLCData Block needs to be transmitted using the Access Burst method).

The legacy Immediate Assignment message is used to both acknowledge BSSreception of a specific access burst on the RACH and to assign thecorresponding MS radio resources for an uplink TBF and is therefore notsuitable (as currently defined) for sending as an acknowledgement to anMS that has enabled PEO (Power Efficient Operation, see 3GPP TechnicalSpecification (TS) 44.018 V14.0.0 (2016-12); Mobile radio interfacelayer 3 specification; GSM/EDGE Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol(Release 14); hereinafter “3GPP TS 44.018”; the contents of 3GPP TS44.018 are hereby incorporated herein by reference for all purposes) andis performing the MTA procedure using the Access Burst method.Similarly, the legacy Extended Coverage (EC) Immediate Assignment Type 2message is used to both acknowledge BSS reception of a specific set ofaccess bursts on the EC-RACH and to assign the corresponding MS radioresources for an uplink TBF and is therefore not suitable (as currentlydefined) for sending as an acknowledgement to an MS that has enabled ECoperation (EC-GSM-IoT, see 3GPP TS 44.018) and is performing the MTAprocedure using the Access Burst method.

SUMMARY

A mobile station, a base station subsystem (BSS) and various methods foraddressing the aforementioned problems are described in the independentclaims. Advantageous embodiments of the mobile station, the BSS and thevarious methods are further described in the dependent claims.

In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a mobile stationconfigured to interact with a base station subsystem (BSS), the mobilestation enabled for power efficient operation (PEO) and capable ofperforming a multilateration timing advance (MTA) procedure. The mobilestation comprises a processor and a memory that storesprocessor-executable instructions, wherein the processor interfaces withthe memory to execute the processor-executable instructions. The mobilestation is operable to perform a first receive operation, a transmitoperation, and a second receive operation. In the first receiveoperation, the mobile station receives an MTA request message for themobile station to perform a radio access part of the MTA procedure. Inthe transmit operation, the mobile station transmits, to the BSS, amultilateration request message that indicates an Access Burst methodfor performing the MTA procedure. In the second receive operation, themobile station receives, from the BSS, an assignment messageacknowledging that the BSS received the multilateration request messagewithout assigning radio resources for the mobile station. An advantageof the mobile station performing these operations is that it is able toreceive confirmation of its access attempt for performing the MTAprocedure using the Access Burst method without also being unnecessarilyassigned radio resources, which the mobile station does not need whenusing the Access Burst method.

In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method in a mobilestation that is configured to interact with a base station subsystem(BSS), the mobile station enabled for power efficient operation (PEO)and capable of performing a multilateration timing advance (MTA)procedure. The method comprises a first receiving step, a transmittingstep, and a second receiving step. In the first receiving step, themobile station receives an MTA request message for the mobile station toperform a radio access part of the MTA procedure. In the transmittingstep, the mobile station transmits, to the BSS, a multilaterationrequest message that indicates an Access Burst method for performing theMTA procedure. In the second receiving step, the mobile stationreceives, from the BSS, an assignment message acknowledging that the BSSreceived the multilateration request message without assigning radioresources for the mobile station. An advantage of the mobile stationperforming these steps is that it is able to receive confirmation of itsaccess attempt for performing the MTA procedure using the Access Burstmethod without also being unnecessarily assigned radio resources, whichthe mobile station does not need when using the Access Burst method.

In yet another aspect, the present disclosure provides a Base StationSubsystem (BSS) configured to interact with a mobile station enabled forpower efficient operation (PEO) and capable of performing amultilateration timing advance (MTA) procedure. The BSS comprises aprocessor and a memory that stores processor-executable instructions,wherein the processor interfaces with the memory to execute theprocessor-executable instructions. The BSS is operable to perform areceive operation and a transmit operation. In the receive operation,the BSS receives, from the mobile station, a multilateration requestmessage that indicates an Access Burst method for performing the MTAprocedure. In the transmit operation, the BSS transmits, to the mobilestation, an assignment message acknowledging that the BSS received themultilateration request message without assigning radio resources forthe mobile station. An advantage of the BSS performing these operationsis that it is able to send confirmation of the mobile station's accessattempt for performing the MTA procedure using the Access Burst methodwithout also unnecessarily assigning radio resources to the mobilestation, which it does not need when using the Access Burst method.

In still yet another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method ina BSS that is configured to interact with a mobile station enabled forpower efficient operation (PEO) and capable of performing amultilateration timing advance (MTA) procedure. The method comprises areceiving step and a transmitting step. In the receiving step, the BSSreceives, from the mobile station, a multilateration request messagethat indicates an Access Burst method for performing the MTA procedure.In the transmitting step, the BSS transmits, to the mobile station, anassignment message acknowledging that the BSS received themultilateration request message without assigning radio resources forthe mobile station. An advantage of the BSS performing these steps isthat it is able to send confirmation of the mobile station's accessattempt for performing the MTA procedure using the Access Burst methodwithout also unnecessarily assigning radio resources to the mobilestation, which it does not need when using the Access Burst method.

In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a mobile stationconfigured to interact with a base station subsystem (BSS), the mobilestation enabled for power efficient operation (PEO) and capable ofperforming a multilateration timing advance (MTA) procedure. The mobilestation comprises a processor and a memory that storesprocessor-executable instructions, wherein the processor interfaces withthe memory to execute the processor-executable instructions. The mobilestation is operable to perform a first receive operation, a transmitoperation, and a second receive operation. In the first receiveoperation, the mobile station receives an MTA request message for themobile station to perform a radio access part of the MTA procedure. Inthe transmit operation, the mobile station transmits, to the BSS, amultilateration request message that indicates an Access Burst methodfor performing the MTA procedure. In the second receive operation, themobile station receives, from the BSS, a packet assignment messageacknowledging that the BSS received the multilateration request messagewithout assigning packet resources for the mobile station. An advantageof the mobile station performing these operations is that it is able toreceive confirmation of its access attempt for performing the MTAprocedure using the Access Burst method without also being unnecessarilyassigned packet resources, which the mobile station does not need whenusing the Access Burst method.

In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method in a mobilestation that is configured to interact with a base station subsystem(BSS), the mobile station enabled for power efficient operation (PEO)and capable of performing a multilateration timing advance (MTA)procedure. The method comprises a first receiving step, a transmittingstep, and a second receiving step. In the first receiving step, themobile station receives an MTA request message for the mobile station toperform a radio access part of the MTA procedure. In the transmittingstep, the mobile station transmits, to the BSS, a multilaterationrequest message that indicates an Access Burst method for performing theMTA procedure. In the second receiving step, the mobile stationreceives, from the BSS, a packet assignment message acknowledging thatthe BSS received the multilateration request message without assigningpacket resources for the mobile station. An advantage of the mobilestation performing these steps is that it is able to receiveconfirmation of its access attempt for performing the MTA procedureusing the Access Burst method without also being unnecessarily assignedpacket resources, which the mobile station does not need when using theAccess Burst method.

In yet another aspect, the present disclosure provides a Base StationSubsystem (BSS) configured to interact with a mobile station enabled forpower efficient operation (PEO) and capable of performing amultilateration timing advance (MTA) procedure. The BSS comprises aprocessor and a memory that stores processor-executable instructions,wherein the processor interfaces with the memory to execute theprocessor-executable instructions. The BSS is operable to perform areceive operation and a transmit operation. In the receive operation,the BSS receives, from the mobile station, a multilateration requestmessage that indicates an Access Burst method for performing the MTAprocedure. In the transmit operation, the BSS transmits, to the mobilestation, a packet assignment message acknowledging that the BSS receivedthe multilateration request message without assigning packet resourcesfor the mobile station. An advantage of the BSS performing theseoperations is that it is able to send confirmation of the mobilestation's access attempt for performing the MTA procedure using theAccess Burst method without also unnecessarily assigning packetresources to the mobile station, which it does not need when using theAccess Burst method.

In still yet another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method ina BSS that is configured to interact with a mobile station enabled forpower efficient operation (PEO) and capable of performing amultilateration timing advance (MTA) procedure. The method comprises areceiving step and a transmitting step. In the receiving step, the BSSreceives, from the mobile station, a multilateration request messagethat indicates an Access Burst method for performing the MTA procedure.In the transmitting step, the BSS transmits, to the mobile station, apacket assignment message acknowledging that the BSS received themultilateration request message without assigning packet resources forthe mobile station. An advantage of the BSS performing these steps isthat it is able to send confirmation of the mobile station's accessattempt for performing the MTA procedure using the Access Burst methodwithout also unnecessarily assigning packet resources to the mobilestation, which it does not need when using the Access Burst method.

In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a mobile stationconfigured to interact with a base station subsystem (BSS), the mobilestation enabled for extended coverage (EC) operation and capable ofperforming a multilateration timing advance (MTA) procedure. The mobilestation comprises a processor and a memory that storesprocessor-executable instructions, wherein the processor interfaces withthe memory to execute the processor-executable instructions. The mobilestation is operable to perform a first receive operation, a transmitoperation, and a second receive operation. In the first receiveoperation, the mobile station receives an MTA request message for themobile station to perform a radio access part of the MTA procedure. Inthe transmit operation, the mobile station transmits, to the BSS, amultilateration request message that indicates an Access Burst methodfor performing the MTA procedure. In the second receive operation, themobile station receives, from the BSS, an assignment messageacknowledging that the BSS received the multilateration request messagewithout assigning radio resources for the mobile station. An advantageof the mobile station performing these operations is that it is able toreceive confirmation of its access attempt for performing the MTAprocedure using the Access Burst method without also being unnecessarilyassigned radio resources, which the mobile station does not need whenusing the Access Burst method.

In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method in a mobilestation that is configured to interact with a base station subsystem(BSS), the mobile station enabled for extended coverage (EC) operationand capable of performing a multilateration timing advance (MTA)procedure. The method comprises a first receiving step, a transmittingstep, and a second receiving step. In the first receiving step, themobile station receives an MTA request message for the mobile station toperform a radio access part of the MTA procedure. In the transmittingstep, the mobile station transmits, to the BSS, a multilaterationrequest message that indicates an Access Burst method for performing theMTA procedure. In the second receiving step, the mobile stationreceives, from the BSS, an assignment message acknowledging that the BSSreceived the multilateration request message without assigning radioresources for the mobile station. An advantage of the mobile stationperforming these steps is that it is able to receive confirmation of itsaccess attempt for performing the MTA procedure using the Access Burstmethod without also being unnecessarily assigned radio resources, whichthe mobile station does not need when using the Access Burst method.

In yet another aspect, the present disclosure provides a Base StationSubsystem (BSS) configured to interact with a mobile station enabled forextended coverage (EC) operation and capable of performing amultilateration timing advance (MTA) procedure. The BSS comprises aprocessor and a memory that stores processor-executable instructions,wherein the processor interfaces with the memory to execute theprocessor-executable instructions. The BSS is operable to perform areceive operation and a transmit operation. In the receive operation,the BSS receives, from the mobile station, a multilateration requestmessage that indicates an Access Burst method for performing the MTAprocedure. In the transmit operation, the BSS transmits, to the mobilestation, an assignment message acknowledging that the BSS received themultilateration request message without assigning radio resources forthe mobile station. An advantage of the BSS performing these operationsis that it is able to send confirmation of the mobile station's accessattempt for performing the MTA procedure using the Access Burst methodwithout also unnecessarily assigning radio resources to the mobilestation, which it does not need when using the Access Burst method.

In still yet another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method ina BSS that is configured to interact with a mobile station enabled forextended coverage (EC) operation and capable of performing amultilateration timing advance (MTA) procedure. The method comprises areceiving step and a transmitting step. In the receiving step, the BSSreceives, from the mobile station, a multilateration request messagethat indicates an Access Burst method for performing the MTA procedure.In the transmitting step, the BSS transmits, to the mobile station, anassignment message acknowledging that the BSS received themultilateration request message without assigning radio resources forthe mobile station. An advantage of the BSS performing these steps isthat it is able to send confirmation of the mobile station's accessattempt for performing the MTA procedure using the Access Burst methodwithout also unnecessarily assigning radio resources to the mobilestation, which it does not need when using the Access Burst method.

Additional aspects of the present disclosure will be set forth, in part,in the detailed description, figures and any claims which follow, and inpart will be derived from the detailed description, or can be learned bypractice of the invention. It is to be understood that both theforegoing general description and the following detailed description areexemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the presentdisclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present disclosure may be obtainedby reference to the following detailed description when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 (PRIOR ART) is a diagram of an exemplary wireless communicationnetwork used to help explain the multilateration timing advanceprocedure in determining a position of a mobile station;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of an exemplary wireless communication network whichincludes a SGSN, multiple SMLCs, multiple BSSs, and a mobile stationwhich are configured in accordance with an embodiment of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 3A illustrates details of a legacy Immediate Assignment message;

FIGS. 3B-3D illustrate details of a ‘Dedicated mode or TBF’ IE inaccordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3E is a diagram illustrating one possible coding of an ‘ImmediateAssignment (IA) Rest Octets’ IE in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent disclosure;

FIGS. 3F-3G illustrate details of Immediate Assignment messages inaccordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates details of a ‘Dedicated mode or TBF’ IE in accordancewith an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 5A-5B illustrate details of a new Immediate Assignment Type 2message and its ‘Short ID’ IE in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 6A illustrates details of an Immediate Packet Assignment message inaccordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 6B-6D illustrate one possible coding and details of an ‘ImmediatePacket Assignment (IPA) Rest Octets’ IE of the Immediate PacketAssignment message of FIG. 6A in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent disclosure;

FIGS. 7A-7B illustrate one possible coding and details of a new ECImmediate Assignment Type 3 message in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a method implemented in a mobile stationenabled for PEO in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating structures of a mobile stationenabled for PEO configured in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a method implemented in a mobile stationenabled for PEO in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating structures of a mobile stationenabled for PEO configured in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a method implemented in a mobile stationenabled for EC operation in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating structures of a mobile stationenabled for EC operation configured in accordance with embodiments ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of a method implemented in a BSS in accordancewith embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 15 is a block diagram illustrating structures of a BSS configuredin accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of a method implemented in a BSS in accordancewith embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 17 is a block diagram illustrating structures of a BSS configuredin accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 18 is a flowchart of a method implemented in a BSS in accordancewith embodiments of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 19 is a block diagram illustrating structures of a BSS configuredin accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A discussion is provided herein first to describe an exemplary wirelesscommunication network 200 that includes multiple BSSs 202 ₁, 202 ₂, 202₃, a mobile station 204, and multiple SMLCs 206 ₁ and 206 ₂ configuredto enable a mobile station (MS) 204 to receive acknowledgement of anaccess attempt for performing a multilateration timing advance (MTA)procedure using the Access Burst method without also being assignedresources (e.g., packet resources, radio resources for a temporary blockflow (TBF)) in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure(see FIG. 2). Then, a discussion is provided to disclose varioustechniques that the BSSs 202 ₁, 202 ₂, 202 ₃ and the mobile station 204can use to enable acknowledgement of the mobile station's 204 accessattempt for performing the MTA procedure without also being assignedradio resources in accordance with different embodiments of the presentdisclosure (see FIGS. 3A-7B). Thereafter, a discussion is provided toexplain the basic functionalities-configurations of the mobile station204 and the BSSs 202 ₁, 202 ₂, 202 ₃, each of which are configured toenable acknowledgement of the mobile station's 204 access attempt forperforming the MTA procedure without also being assigned radio resourcesin accordance with different embodiments of the present disclosure (seeFIGS. 8-19).

Exemplary Wireless Communication Network 200

Referring to FIG. 2, there is illustrated an exemplary wirelesscommunication network 200 in accordance with the present disclosure. Thewireless communication network 200 includes a core network (CN) 208(which comprises at least one CN node 207 (e.g., SGSN 207)), multipleSMLCs 206 ₁ and 206 ₂, and multiple BSSs 202 ₁, 202 ₂, 202 ₃, (onlythree shown) which interface with a mobile station 204 (only one shown)(note: in practice there would be multiple mobile stations 204 but forclarity only one mobile station 204 is discussed herein). The wirelesscommunication network 200 also includes many well-known components, butfor clarity, only the components needed to describe the features of thepresent disclosure are described herein. Further, the wirelesscommunication network 200 is described herein as being a GSM/EGPRSwireless communication network 200 which is also known as an EDGEwireless communication network 200. However, those skilled in the artwill readily appreciate that the techniques of the present disclosurewhich are applied to the GSM/EGPRS wireless communication network 200are generally applicable to other types of wireless communicationsystems, including, for example, EC-GSM, WCDMA, LTE, and WiMAX systems.

The wireless communication network 200 includes the BSSs 202 ₁, 202 ₂,202 ₃ (which are basically wireless access nodes 202 ₁, 202 ₂, 202 ₃,RAN nodes 202 ₁, 202 ₂, 202 ₃, wireless access points 202 ₁, 202 ₂, 202₃) which can provide network access to the mobile station 204. Each BSS202 ₁, 202 ₂, 202 ₃ includes one or more BTSs 210 ₁, 210 ₂, 210 ₃ and aBSC 212 ₁, 212 ₂, 212 ₃. The BSSs 202 ₁, 202 ₂, 202 ₃ are connected tothe core network 208 and, in particular, to the CN node 207 (e.g., SGSN207). The core network 208 is connected to an external packet datanetwork (PDN) 219, such as the Internet, and a server 213 (only oneshown). The mobile station 204 may communicate with one or more servers213 (only one shown) connected to the core network 208 and/or the PDN219.

The mobile station 204 may be referred to generally as an end terminal(user) that attaches to the wireless communication network 200, and mayrefer to either a Machine Type Communications (MTC) device (e.g., asmart meter) or a non-MTC device. Further, the term “mobile station” isgenerally intended to be synonymous with the term mobile device,wireless device, “User Equipment,” or UE, as that term is used by 3GPP,and includes standalone mobile stations, such as terminals, cell phones,smart phones, tablets, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, cellular IoTdevices, and wireless-equipped personal digital assistants, as well aswireless cards or modules that are designed for attachment to orinsertion into another electronic device, such as a personal computer,electrical meter, etc. . . . .

The mobile station 204 may include a transceiver circuit 214 forcommunicating with the BSSs 202 ₁, 202 ₂, 202 ₃ (RAN nodes 202 ₁, 202 ₂,202 ₃), and a processing circuit 216 for processing signals transmittedfrom and received by the transceiver circuit 214 and for controlling theoperation of the mobile station 204. The transceiver circuit 214 mayinclude a transmitter 218 and a receiver 220, which may operateaccording to any standard, e.g., the GSM/EDGE standard, and the EC-GSMstandard. The processing circuit 216 may include a processor 222 and amemory 224 for storing program code for controlling the operation of themobile station 204. The program code may include code for performing theprocedures as described hereinafter.

Each BTS 210 ₁, 210 ₂, 210 ₃ may include a transceiver circuit 226 ₁,226 ₂, 226 ₃ for communicating with the mobile station 204 (typicallymultiple mobile stations 204—only one shown for clarity) and theirrespective BSC 212 ₁, 212 ₂, 212 ₃, a processing circuit 228 ₁, 228 ₂,228 ₃ for processing signals transmitted from and received by thetransceiver circuit 226 ₁, 226 ₂, 226 ₃ and for controlling theoperation of the corresponding BTS 210 ₁, 210 ₂, 210 ₃. The transceivercircuit 226 ₁, 226 ₂, 226 ₃ may include a transmitter 230 ₁, 230 ₂, 230₃ and a receiver 232 ₁, 232 ₂, 232 ₃, which may operate according to anystandard, e.g., the GSM/EDGE standard, and the EC-GSM standard. Theprocessing circuit 228 ₁, 228 ₂, 228 ₃ may include a processor 234 ₁,234 ₂, 234 ₃, and a memory 236 ₁, 236 ₂, 236 ₃ for storing program codefor controlling the operation of the corresponding BTS 210 ₁, 210 ₂, 210₃. The program code may include code for performing the procedures asdescribed hereinafter.

Each BSC 212 ₁, 212 ₂, 212 ₃ may include a transceiver circuit forcommunicating with their respective BTS 210 ₁, 210 ₂, 210 ₃ and SMLC 206₁, 206 ₂, a processing circuit for processing signals transmitted fromand received by the transceiver circuit and for controlling theoperation of the corresponding BSC 212 ₁, 212 ₂, 212 ₃, and a networkinterface for communicating with the SGSN 207 part of the core network208. The transceiver circuit may include a transmitter and a receiver,which may operate according to any standard, e.g., the GSM/EDGE standard(in this example), and the EC-GSM standard. The processing circuit mayinclude a processor and a memory for storing program code forcontrolling the operation of the corresponding BSC 212 ₁, 212 ₂, 212 ₃.The program code may include code for performing the procedures asdescribed hereinafter. Note: for purposes of the discussion herein, itshould be appreciated that the BSS 202 ₁, 202 ₂, 202 ₃ circuitry can beconsidered to be the same circuitry (not illustrated) as BSC 212 ₁, 212₂, 212 ₃ (it should be appreciated that a BSS comprises a BSC and a BTSaccording to well-known prior art, so when there is a discussion hereinabout a BSS performing certain functions, it typically means the BSCperforming those functions unless it is specifically mentioned that theBTS is performing a function).

The CN node 207 (e.g., SGSN 207, Mobility Management Entity (MME) 207)may include a transceiver circuit 252 for communicating with the BSSs202 ₁, 202 ₂, 202 ₃, a processing circuit 254 for processing signalstransmitted from and received by the transceiver circuit 252 and forcontrolling the operation of the CN node 207, and a network interface257 for communicating with the PDN 219 or the server 213. Thetransceiver circuit 252 may include a transmitter 256 and a receiver258, which may operate according to any standard, e.g., the GSM/EDGEstandard (in this example), and the EC-GSM standard. The processingcircuit 254 may include a processor 260 and a memory 262 for storingprogram code for controlling the operation of the CN node 207. Theprogram code may include code for performing the procedures as describedhereinafter.

Techniques for Acknowledging an Access Attempt for the MTA Procedurewithout Assigning Resources

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

In accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, an MS 204that is enabled for PEO and capable of performing an MTA procedure usingthe Access Burst method receives an MTA request message for the MS toperform a radio access part of the MTA procedure. The MS 204 responds bytransmitting, to a BSS 202 ₁, a multilateration request message 270 ₁that indicates the Access Burst method for performing the MTA procedure.The MS 204 then receives, from the BSS 202 ₁, an assignment message 274₁ acknowledging that the BSS 202 ₁ received the multilateration requestmessage 270 ₁ without assigning radio resources for the MS 204. As willbe discussed further below, an ‘assignment message 274 ₁’ can refer toan Immediate Assignment message or an EC Immediate Assignment Type 3message, in accordance with various embodiments.

Alternatively, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, an MS204 that is enabled for PEO and capable of performing an MTA procedureusing the Access Burst method receives an MTA request message for the MSto perform a radio access part of the MTA procedure. The MS 204 respondsby transmitting, to a BSS 202 ₁, a multilateration request message 270 ₁that indicates the Access Burst method for performing the MTA procedure.However, in this embodiment, the MS 204 then receives, from the BSS 202₁, a packet assignment message 275 ₁ acknowledging that the BSS 202 ₁received the multilateration request message 270 ₁ without assigningpacket resources for the MS 204. As will be discussed further below, a‘packet assignment message 275 ₁’ refers to an Immediate PacketAssignment message, in accordance with various embodiments.

It is further proposed in yet another embodiment of the presentdisclosure, an MS 204 that is enabled for EC operation and capable ofperforming an MTA procedure using the Access Burst method receives anMTA request message for the MS to perform a radio access part of the MTAprocedure. The MS 204 responds by transmitting to a BSS 202 ₁, amultilateration request message 270 ₁ that indicates the Access Burstmethod for performing the MTA procedure. The MS 204 then receives, fromthe BSS 202 ₁, an assignment message 274 ₁ acknowledging that the BSS202 ₁ received the multilateration request message 270 ₁ withoutassigning radio resources for the MS 204.

In these embodiments, the MS 204 may determine if the receivedassignment message 274 ₁ or the received packet assignment message 275 ₁matches the multilateration request message 270 ₁ that the MS 204transmitted to the BSS 202 ₁. The MS 204 may do so by determining if avalue of a Short ID field 276 included in the received assignmentmessage 274 ₁ or in the received packet assignment message 275 ₁ matchesa value of a Short ID field 272 included in the multilateration requestmessage 270 ₁ that the MS 204 transmitted to the BSS 202 ₁. Thus, the MS204 can receive acknowledgment from the BSS 202 ₁ that the accessattempt made by the MS 204 was successful without unnecessarily beingassigned resources that the MS 204 does not need when performing the MTAprocedure using the Access Burst method. These embodiments of thepresent disclosure will be discussed in more detail hereinafter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As part of performing the radio access portion of the multilaterationtiming advance (MTA) procedure, when the MS 204 uses the Access Burstmethod in any given cell, the MS 204 needs to know whether or not itsaccess burst has been successfully received by the serving BSS 202 ₁,and as such the serving BSS 202 ₁ needs to send the MS 204 some form ofacknowledgement that confirms reception of the access burst without alsoassigning the MS 204 resources (e.g., packet resources, radio resourcesfor an uplink Temporary Block Flow (TBF)), since no Radio Link Control(RLC) Data Block needs to be transmitted using the Access Burst method.

The legacy Immediate Assignment message is used to both acknowledge BSSreception of a specific access burst on the Random Access Channel (RACH)and to assign the corresponding MS radio resources for an uplink TBF andis therefore not suitable (as currently defined) for sending as anacknowledgement to an MS that has enabled Power Efficient Operation(PEO) and is performing the MTA procedure using the Access Burst method.Similarly, the legacy Extended Coverage (EC) Immediate Assignment Type 2message is used to both acknowledge BSS reception of a specific set ofaccess bursts on the EC-RACH and to assign the corresponding MS radioresources for an uplink TBF and is therefore not suitable (as currentlydefined) for sending as an acknowledgement to an MS that has enabled ECoperation and is performing the MTA procedure using the Access Burstmethod.

Accordingly, the techniques disclosed herein allows an MS 204 to attemptsystem access for the purpose of performing the MTA procedure using theAccess Burst method and to receive an acknowledgement that its accessattempt has been successful without the MS 204 also being assigned radioresources for an uplink TBF. Techniques discussed below apply to mobilestations enabled for Power Efficient Operation (PEO) and to mobilestations enabled for Extended Coverage (EC) operation.

In the following, embodiments herein are illustrated by exemplaryembodiments. It should be noted that these embodiments are not mutuallyexclusive. Components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to bepresent in another embodiment and it will be obvious to a person skilledin the art how those components may be used in the other exemplaryembodiments.

Embodiments below will be exemplified with GSM/EDGE as thecommunications network. The core network node will be exemplified withan SGSN, but generally it may be another core network node serving thecommunication device as well. For example, for NB-IoT the applicablecore network node may also be an MME. The radio access network node(controller node) is exemplified with a BSS and the communication devicewill be exemplified with a mobile station, sometimes also referred to asthe device. The positioning node will be exemplified with an SMLC nodebut may, e.g., for NB-IoT be an E-SMLC node.

It shall be noted to anyone skilled in the art that the principlesdescribed in the embodiments below also may also be applicable to otherRadio Access technologies such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), UniversalMobile Telephony System (UMTS), Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT),and Enhanced Machine Type Communications (eMTC).

First Embodiment

In a first embodiment, an MS 204 is enabled for PEO and is using theAccess Burst method to perform the MTA procedure. The MS 204 receives anMTA request message for the MS 204 to perform a radio access part of theMTA procedure. For example, the MTA request message can be a RadioResource Location Services Protocol (RRLP) Multilateration TimingAdvance Request message transmitted from the serving SMLC 206 ₁ andreceived by the MS 204 via the serving BSS 202 ₁. The MS 204 then startsto perform the radio access part of the MTA procedure by sending anaccess request (i.e., an access burst) on the RACH. The MS 204 sends theaccess request by transmitting, to the serving BSS 202 ₁, amultilateration request message 270 ₁ that indicates the Access Burstmethod for performing the MTA procedure. In some embodiments, themultilateration request message is an Enhanced General Packet RadioService (EGPRS) Multilateration Request message. The MS 204 thenreceives, from the serving BSS 202 ₁, an assignment message 274 ₁acknowledging that the serving BSS 202 ₁ received the multilaterationrequest message without assigning radio resources for the MS 204. Inparticular, the serving BSS 202 ₁ can transmit to the MS 204 anImmediate Assignment message on the Access Grant Channel (AGCH), whereinthe Immediate Assignment message is modified (relative to a legacyImmediate Assignment message) to exclude the inclusion of radioresources.

FIG. 3A illustrates details of a legacy Immediate Assignment message, asextracted from 3GPP TS 44.018. It is to be noted that FIGS. 3A-7Breference portions of 3GPP TS 44.018 in which tables, figures, details,codings, etc. have been extracted or are proposed for modification invarious embodiments. The legacy Immediate Assignment message is sent bythe network to the mobile station in idle mode to change the channelconfiguration to a dedicated configuration while staying in the samecell or to the mobile station in packet idle mode to change the channelconfiguration to either an uplink or a downlink packet data channelconfiguration. In an exemplary embodiment, the Immediate Assignmentmessage will also be sent to the MS 204 in packet idle mode when it hasenabled PEO and is performing the MTA procedure using the Access Burstmethod.

The Immediate Assignment message can be modified (relative to a legacyImmediate Assignment message) to exclude the inclusion of radioresources by modifying an Information Element (IE) 278 included therein.In one exemplary embodiment, the IE modified is the ‘Dedicated mode orTBF’ IE, which is highlighted with a dashed outline in FIG. 3A. Thus,the ‘Dedicated mode or TBF’ IE can be used to indicate that no TBFresources are assigned to the MS 204.

FIGS. 3B-3D illustrate details of the ‘Dedicated mode or TBF’ IE inaccordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The legacy‘Dedicated mode or TBF’ IE was used by the network to indicate to the MSwhether the rest of the message shall be decoded as an ImmediateAssignment message allocating a channel in dedicated mode or whether therest of the message shall be decoded as the allocation of a TBF. Asmodified, the ‘Dedicated mode or TBF’ IE can also be used to indicatethat no Temporary Block Flow is allocated, for example, when theImmediate Assignment message is sent in response to the EGPRSMultilateration Request message indicating the Access Burst method forthe MTA procedure. FIG. 3B illustrates fields of the modified ‘Dedicatedmode or TBF’ IE. In particular, a previously spare bit is modified,labeled as the (No TBF Allocated) NTA field 310, to indicate that no TBFresources are assigned to the MS 204. As explained in FIG. 3C, whichdetails fields of the ‘Dedicated mode or TBF’ IE, the NTA field 310 isused to indicate when no TBF is allocated by the Immediate Assignmentmessage. If the NTA field 310 is set to ‘1’ the MS 204 shall ignore thecontents of ‘Channel Description’ IE, ‘Packet Channel Description’ IE,‘Timing Advance’ IE, ‘Mobile Allocation’ IE, ‘Starting Time’ IE,‘Immediate Assignment (IA) Rest Octets’ IE and ‘Extended TSC Set’ IE ifincluded in the Immediate Assignment message. FIG. 3D illustrates onepossible coding 320 of the NTA field 310. As illustrated, the servingBSS 202 ₁ sets the value of the NTA field 310 to ‘1’ when transmittingthe Immediate Assignment in response to receiving an EGPRSMultilateration Request message indicating the Access Burst method. Itis to be noted that, although the modified previously spare bit islabeled as NTA in the figures, embodiments of the application and theirequivalents are not so limited.

Upon receipt of the assignment message, the MS 204 can determine that avalue of the IE 278 indicates that no TBF resources are assigned to theMS 204. For example, when the MS 204 receives the Immediate Assignmentmessage, the MS 204 determines that the value of the ‘Dedicated mode orTBF’ IE being set to ‘1’ indicates that no TBF resources are assigned tothe MS 204. The MS 204 can then determine if the assignment message 274₁ matches a multilateration request message 270 ₁ (e.g., one of the lastthree EGPRS Multilateration Request messages) that the MS 204transmitted to the serving BSS 202 ₁.

The use of the legacy type Immediate Assignment message is preferred foracknowledging the MS's access attempt since legacy MSs (e.g., MSs thatare not capable of performing the MTA procedure) will understand thecontent of this message and therefore be able to detect the presence ofan implicit reject indication therein. It should be noted that other MSsattempting system access but not performing the MTA procedure using theAccess Burst method may also be looking for a matching ImmediateAssignment message during the same general time interval as MSsperforming the MTA procedure using the Access Burst method. AnMTA-capable MS that is attempting system access for a purpose other thanfor performing the MTA procedure using the Access Burst method willinterpret the value of the NTA field 310 in the ‘Dedicated mode or TBF’IE being set to 1 as meaning the corresponding Immediate Assignmentmessage only confirms reception of one or more access requests sent byMSs using the Access Burst method (i.e., no uplink TBF resources areassigned). However, a legacy MS that is not MTA-capable and isattempting system access cannot be expected to interpret the value ofthe NTA field 310 in the ‘Dedicated mode or TBF’ IE being set to 1 asmeaning it should not further examine the Immediate Assignment message.Upon receiving an Immediate Assignment message in which the value of theNTA field 310 in the ‘Dedicated mode or TBF’ IE is set to 1, a legacy MSthat does not support MTA will therefore expect a subset of IEs (afterthe ‘Dedicated mode or TBF’ IE) that will necessarily include the‘Request Reference’ IE as illustrated in FIG. 3A.

Option 1

Accordingly, in an exemplary embodiment (referred to in the figures as‘option 1’), to ensure that such a legacy MS never interprets anImmediate Assignment message sent to the MS 204 performing the MTAprocedure (using the Access Burst method) as matching a previouslytransmitted EGPRS Packet Channel Request message, the serving BSS 202 ₁can exclude the ‘Packet Channel Description’ IE and the ‘ChannelDescription’ IE in the Immediate Assignment message whenever it is beingsent in response to an MS attempting system access for performing theMTA procedure using the Access Burst method. The absence of the legacy‘Packet Channel Description’ IE in the received Immediate Assignmentmessage means that the legacy MS will not be able to detect the presenceof the ‘Packet Channel Description’ IE in that message and will simplybe unable to act on the message even if the legacy MS interprets the‘Request Reference’ IE therein as corresponding to (i.e., matching) itsattempted system access.

FIG. 3F illustrates exclusion of the ‘Packet Channel Description’ IE andthe ‘Channel Description’ IE and inclusion of a set of IEs in anImmediate Assignment message sent by the serving BSS 202 ₁ in responseto the MS 204 attempting system access for performing the MTA procedureusing the Access Burst method. FIG. 3E is a diagram illustrating onepossible coding 330 of the ‘Immediate Assignment (IA) Rest Octets’ IE tokeep the Immediate Assignment message as small as possible, where the‘IA Rest Octets’ IE is coded using the ‘LH’ and ‘reserved for futureuse’ options. Due to the inclusion of the ‘IA Rest Octets’ IE in theImmediate Assignment message, a legacy MS will still be able todetermine if the serving BSS 202 ₁ has enabled the Implicit Rejectfeature for the Packet Switched (PS) domain and act accordingly. Inother words, the re-use of the legacy Immediate Assignment message isadvantageous since, if a new type of Immediate Assignment message wasdefined instead for sending a response to MS 204 attempting systemaccess for performing the MTA procedure using the Access Burst method,then the new message would not be recognized by legacy MSs and thereforecould not be used to provide legacy MSs with an Implicit Rejectindication, thereby reducing the efficiency and precision with which theserving BSS 202 ₁ can manage the Implicit Reject feature.

The Immediate Assignment message further includes a ‘Request Reference’IE. In this case, the Random Access Information included in (e.g., octet2 of) the ‘Request Reference’ IE will be coded as the 8 leastsignificant bits of the corresponding EGPRS Multilateration Requestmessage (i.e., it will echo the 8 bit Short ID field included in theEGPRS Multilateration Request message transmitted by the MS 204 when theMTA procedure is performed using the Access Burst method). The ImmediateAssignment message (as illustrated in FIG. 3F) can further includeoptional instances of the ‘Request Reference’ IE, thereby allowing theserving BSS 202 ₁ to address multiple MSs (using the Access Burstmethod) within a single Immediate Assignment message.

Referring to the discussion above, upon the MS 204 determining that avalue of the IE 272 indicates that no TBF resources are assigned to theMS 204, the MS 204 can determine if the assignment message 274 ₁ matchesa multilateration request message 270 ₁ (e.g., one of the last threeEGPRS Multilateration Request messages) that the MS 204 transmitted tothe serving BSS 202 ₁. In some embodiments, a determination of a matchin the messages is made by determining if a Short ID field 276 valueincluded in another IE of the assignment message 274 ₁ matches a valueof a Short ID field 272 included in the multilateration request message270 ₁. In option 2 discussed above with reference to FIGS. 3E-3F, theRandom Access Information included in the ‘Request Reference’ IE will becoded as the 8 least significant bits of the corresponding EGPRSMultilateration Request message. That is, the serving BSS 202 ₁ will seta value of a field in the ‘Request Reference’ IE to the 8 bit Short IDfield (i.e., the 8 least significant bits) of an EGPRS MultilaterationRequest message to which it is responding. Moreover, the ‘RequestReference’ IE may be one of multiple ‘Request Reference’ IEs of theImmediate Assignment message allowing the serving BSS 202 ₁ to address,within the single Immediate Assignment message, multiple MSs performingthe MTA procedure using the Access Burst method. This allows those MSsto also determine matches between the single Immediate Assignmentmessage and previous multilateration request messages that they sent.

On receipt of the Immediate Assignment message corresponding to one ofits three last EGPRS Multilateration Request messages (when the AccessBurst method is used), the MS 204 stops sending EGPRS MultilaterationRequest messages and considers the MTA procedure as successfullycompleted in the current cell, tunes to the next cell in the list ofapplicable cells, and performs the MTA procedure therein.

Option 2

Alternatively, in another embodiment (referred to in the figures as‘option 2’), the serving BSS 202 ₁ excludes the ‘Channel Description’ IEin the Immediate Assignment message whenever it is being sent inresponse to an MS attempting system access for performing the MTAprocedure using the Access Burst method. This option is similar tooption 1 discussed above, except that the legacy ‘Packet ChannelDescription’ IE is included in an Immediate Assignment message sent tothe MS 204. This will eliminate the possibility of legacy MSs rejectingan Immediate Assignment message that excludes both the legacy ‘ChannelDescription’ IE and ‘Packet Channel Description’ IE.

FIG. 3G illustrates exclusion of the ‘Channel Description’ IE andinclusion of a set of IEs in an Immediate Assignment message sent by theserving BSS 202 ₁ in response to the MS 204 attempting system access forperforming the MTA procedure using the Access Burst method. For option2, as with option 1, optional instances of the ‘Request Reference’ IEcan be supported in the Immediate Assignment message, thereby allowingthe serving BSS 202 ₁ BSS to address multiple MSs using the Access Burstmethod within a single Immediate Assignment message. The Random AccessInformation included in (e.g., octet 2 of) the ‘Request Reference’ IEwill be coded as the 8 least significant bits of the corresponding EGPRSMultilateration Request message (i.e., it will echo the 8 bit Short IDfield included in the EGPRS Multilateration Request message when the MTAprocedure is performed using the Access Burst method). For option 2,just as with option 1, the ‘IA Rest Octets’ IE can be coded using the‘LH’ and ‘reserved for future use’ options, as illustrated in FIG. 3E,to keep the Immediate Assignment message as small as possible. By usingthe ‘LH’ and ‘reserved for future use’ options for encoding the ‘IA RestOctets’ IE, a legacy MS (that is not MTA capable) will simply be unableto act on a received Immediate Assignment message (i.e., it will bemissing mandatory parameters required for uplink TBF management) even ifit interprets the ‘Request Reference’ IE therein as corresponding to(i.e., matching) its attempted system access.

Due to the inclusion of the ‘IA Rest Octets’ IE in the ImmediateAssignment message, a legacy MS will still be able to determine if theserving BSS 202 ₁ has enabled the Implicit Reject feature for the PacketSwitched (PS) domain and act accordingly. In other words, the re-use ofthe legacy Immediate Assignment message is advantageous since, if a newtype of Immediate Assignment message was defined instead for sending aresponse to MS 204 attempting system access for performing the MTAprocedure using the Access Burst method, then the new message would notbe recognized by legacy MSs and therefore could not be used to providelegacy MSs with an Implicit Reject indication, thereby reducing theefficiency and precision with which the serving BSS 202 ₁ can manage theImplicit Reject feature.

Second Embodiment

In a second embodiment, an MS 204 is again enabled for PEO and is usingthe Access Burst method to perform the MTA procedure. In response toreceiving an MTA request message, the MS 204 starts to perform the radioaccess part of the MTA procedure by sending an access request (i.e., anaccess burst). The MS 204 then receives an assignment message 274 ₁acknowledging that the serving BSS 202 ₁ received the multilaterationrequest message without assigning radio resources for the MS 204. Inparticular, the assignment message 274 is the Immediate Assignmentmessage transmitted by the serving BSS 202 ₁.

However, instead of using a previously unused spare bit (as illustratedin FIG. 3D) of an IE of the Immediate Assignment message as in the firstembodiment, a previously unused code point in an IE carried within thelegacy Immediate Assignment message is used to indicate that no TBFresources are assigned to the MS 204 in this second embodiment. Inparticular, a previously unused code point in the ‘Dedicated mode orTBF’ IE is used to indicate that no TBF resources are assigned. FIG. 4illustrates details of a ‘Dedicated mode or TBF’ IE in accordance withthis embodiment. The table of FIG. 4 is modified from the unmodifiedTable 10.5.2.25b.2 of 3GPP TS 44.018 illustrating coding for the‘Dedicated mode or TBF’ IE, wherein code points 010, 100, and 110 (ascoded for bit 3, bit 2, and bit 1 of octet 1) are unused. In this secondembodiment, one of these already unused code points (e.g., the 010 codepoint 410) is used for the purpose of indicating to the MS 204 when noTBF is allocated by the Immediate Assignment message. As discussed abovewith respect to the first embodiment, utilization of this previouslyunused code points in the legacy Immediate Assignment message ispreferred for acknowledging the MS's access attempt since legacy MSs(e.g., MSs that are not capable of performing the MTA procedure) willunderstand the content of this message and therefore be able to detectthe presence of an implicit reject indication therein.

Third Embodiment

In a third embodiment, an MS 204 is again enabled for PEO and is usingthe Access Burst method to perform the MTA procedure. In response toreceiving an MTA request message, the MS 204 starts to perform the radioaccess part of the MTA procedure by sending an access request (i.e., anaccess burst). The MS 204 then receives an assignment message 274 ₁acknowledging that the serving BSS 202 ₁ received the multilaterationrequest message without assigning radio resources for the MS 204.However, unlike in the above embodiments where the assignment message274 ₁ is a legacy Immediate Assignment message, in this thirdembodiment, a new dedicated Access Grant Channel (AGCH) message isintroduced for the purpose of indicating to the MS 204 that its accessburst has been received by the serving BSS 202 ₁. In particular, a newImmediate Assignment Type 2 message or a new Immediate Assignment Rejectmessage can be defined for 3GPP TS 44.018 to indicate that no TBFresources are assigned. In an exemplary embodiment, FIGS. 5A-5Billustrate details of a new Immediate Assignment Type 2 message and its‘Short ID’ IE. The new message will only be understood by MSs that haveenabled PEO when using the Access Burst method to perform the MTAprocedure. The new message can contain multiple instances of MS specificreference information, wherein each instance is set according to theShort ID value included in an access request for which the serving BSS202 ₁ needs to send a corresponding response.

Fourth Embodiment

In a fourth embodiment, an MS 204 in packet idle mode is enabled for PEOand is using the Access Burst method to perform the MTA procedure. TheMS 204 receives an MTA request message (e.g., RRLP MultilaterationTiming Advance Request message transmitted from the serving SMLC 206 ₁and received via the serving BSS 202 ₁) for the MS 204 to perform aradio access part of the MTA procedure. The MS 204 then starts toperform the radio access part of the MTA procedure by transmitting, tothe serving BSS 202 ₁, a multilateration request message 270 ₁ (e.g.,EGPRS Multilateration Request message) that indicates the Access Burstmethod for performing the MTA procedure. However, in this fourthembodiment, the MS 204 then receives, from the serving BSS 202 ₁, apacket assignment message 275 ₁ acknowledging that the serving BSS 202 ₁received the multilateration request message 270 ₁ without assigningpacket resources for the MS 204. In particular, the serving BSS 202 ₁can transmit to the MS 204 an Immediate Packet Assignment message,wherein the Immediate Packet Assignment message is modified (relative toa legacy Immediate Packet Assignment message) to exclude the inclusionof packet resources.

FIG. 6A illustrates contents of an Immediate Packet Assignment (IPA)message. In this fourth embodiment, the ‘IPA Rest Octets’ IE of theImmediate Packet Assignment message excludes packet resource assignmentinformation. One possible coding 610 and details of the ‘IPA RestOctets’ IE are illustrated in FIGS. 6B-6D. The ‘IPA Rest Octets’ IE ofthe Immediate Packet Assignment message is coded by the serving BSS 202₁ to contain no radio resource assignments for the case where themessage is sent in response to one or more EGPRS Multilateration Requestmessages indicating the Access Burst method is used.

Upon receipt of the packet assignment message 275 ₁, the MS 204 candetermine that the message excludes packet resource assignmentinformation, for example, by reading the message where it determines anIE of the message does not include packet resource information. Inparticular, the MS 204 reads the Immediate Packet Assignment message todetermine that the ‘IPA Rest Octets’ IE does not include packet resourceinformation. The MS 204 can then determine if the packet assignmentmessage 275 ₁ matches a multilateration request message 270 ₁ (e.g., oneof the last three EGPRS Multilateration Request messages) that the MS204 transmitted to the serving BSS 202 ₁.

In some embodiments, a determination of a match in the messages is madeby determining if a value of a Short ID field 276 included in an IE ofthe packet assignment message 275 ₁ matches a value of a Short ID field272 included in the multilateration request message 270 ₁. For the ‘IPARest Octets’ IE illustrated in FIGS. 6B-6D, to keep the Immediate PacketAssignment message as small as possible, the ‘IPA Rest Octets’ IEexcludes packet resource assignment information and includes at least aShort ID 1 field. Thus, the MS 204 can determine if a value of the atleast a Short ID 1 field included in the ‘IPA Rest Octets’ IE of theImmediate Packet Assignment message (as set by the serving BSS 202 ₁)matches a value its Short ID field included in one of the last threeEGPRS Multilateration Request messages that the MS 204 transmitted. Thatis, the MS 204 examines the values of the Short ID N fields (e.g., ShortID 1, Short ID 2, Short ID 3, and Short ID 4 illustrated in FIGS. 6B-6D)(as necessary) in an attempt to find an Immediate Packet Assignmentmessage that matches its transmitted EGPRS Multilateration Requestmessage (indicating the Access Burst method). Moreover, the multipleShort ID N fields allow multiple MSs using the Access Burst method to beaddressed by the Immediate Packet Assignment message. In someembodiments, the Immediate Packet Assignment message may additionallyinclude a ‘Request Reference’ IE (similar to that of the ImmediateAssignment message in option 1 of embodiment 1 illustrated in FIG. 3F)to further allow the serving BSS 202 ₁ to address with greater accuracy,within the single Immediate Packet Assignment message, multiple MSsperforming the MTA procedure using the Access Burst method. The multipleShort ID N fields and any such ‘Request Reference’ IE would allow thoseMSs to also determine matches between the single Immediate PacketAssignment message and previous multilateration request messages thatthey sent. Because the ‘Request Reference’ IE identifies the time framein which the BSS 202 ₁ received a specific multilateration requestmessage to which it is responding in the Immediate Packet Assignmentmessage, an MS would be able to determine a match with greater accuracy.

With the exclusion of packet resource assignment information from theImmediate Packet Assignment message, a legacy MS (e.g., an MS that isnot capable of performing the MTA procedure) will simply be unable toact on a received Immediate Packet Assignment message (i.e., it will bemissing mandatory parameters required for uplink TBF management).Therefore, the legacy MS will never act on such an Immediate PacketAssignment message even if it interprets the message as corresponding to(i.e., matching) its attempted system access. However, the use of thelegacy type Immediate Packet Assignment message is preferred foracknowledging the MS's 204 access attempt, because the legacy MS will beable to acquire Implicit Reject information since it is carried usingthe ‘Feature Indicator’ IE in the Immediate Packet Assignment message.Thus, a legacy MS will still be able to determine if the serving BSS 202₁ has enabled the Implicit Reject feature for the Packet Switched (PS)domain and act accordingly. In other words, the re-use of the legacyImmediate Packet Assignment message is advantageous since, if a new typeof Immediate Packet Assignment message was defined instead for sending aresponse to the MS 204 attempting system access for performing the MTAprocedure using the Access Burst method, then the new message would notbe recognized by legacy MSs and therefore could not be used to providelegacy MSs with an Implicit Reject indication (thereby reducing theefficiency and precision with which the serving BSS 202 ₁ can manage theImplicit Reject feature). In some embodiments, an MS that has enabledPEO and is performing the MTA procedure using the RLC Data Block methodshall ignore an Immediate Packet Assignment message that excludes packetresource assignment information.

On receipt of the Immediate Packet Assignment message corresponding toone of its three last EGPRS Multilateration Request messages (when theAccess Burst method is used), the MS 204 stops sending EGPRSMultilateration Request messages and considers the MTA procedure assuccessfully completed in the current cell, tunes to the next cell inthe list of applicable cells, and performs the MTA procedure therein.

Fifth Embodiment

In a fifth embodiment, an MS 204 is enabled for Extended Coverage (EC)operation and is using the Access Burst method to perform the MTAprocedure. The MS 204 receives an MTA request message for the MS 204 toperform a radio access part of the MTA procedure. For example, the MTArequest message can be a Radio Resource Location Services Protocol(RRLP) Multilateration Timing Advance Request message transmitted fromthe serving SMLC 206 ₁ and received by the MS 204 via the serving BSS202 ₁. The MS 204 then starts to perform the radio access part of theMTA procedure by sending an access request (i.e., an access burst) onthe Extended Coverage-Random Access Channel (EC-RACH). The MS 204 sendsthe access request by transmitting, to the serving BSS 202 ₁, amultilateration request message 270 ₁ that indicates the Access Burstmethod for performing the MTA procedure. In some embodiments, themultilateration request message is an EC Multilateration Requestmessage. The MS 204 then receives, from the serving BSS 202 ₁, anassignment message 274 ₁ acknowledging that the serving BSS 202 ₁received the multilateration request message without assigning radioresources for the MS 204. In particular, the serving BSS 202 ₁ cantransmit to the MS 204 a new EC Immediate Assignment Type 3 message onthe Extended Coverage-Access Grant Channel (EC-AGCH), wherein messageexcludes the inclusion of radio resources.

FIGS. 7A-7B illustrate one possible coding 710 and details of a new ECImmediate Assignment Type 3 message in accordance with this fifthembodiment. The new EC Immediate Assignment Type 3 message is definedfor 3GPP TS 44.018 to indicate that no EC temporary block flow (TBF)resources are assigned. As defined, the EC Immediate Assignment Type 3message does not have any option for including packet resourceinformation. This new message will be understood by MSs that haveenabled EC operation when using the Access Burst method to perform theMTA procedure.

Upon receipt of the assignment message 274 ₁, the MS 204 can determineif the assignment message 274 ₁ matches a multilateration requestmessage 270 ₁ (e.g., an EC Multilateration Request message) that the MS204 transmitted to the serving BSS 202 ₁. In some embodiments, adetermination of a match in the messages is made by determining if avalue of a Short ID field 276 included in the assignment message 274 ₁matches a value of a Short ID field 272 included in the multilaterationrequest message 270 ₁. The EC Immediate Assignment Type 3 message maycontain multiple instances of MS specific reference information, whereineach instance is set according to the Short ID value included in anaccess request for which the serving BSS 202 ₁ needs to send acorresponding response. Accordingly, as provided in the details of FIGS.7A-7B, for an EC Immediate Assignment Type 3 message sent in response tothe MS's 204 EC Multilateration Request message, the Short ID fieldidentifies a cell specific 8 bit Short ID value used by the MS 204performing the MTA procedure using the Access Burst method. Thus, the MS204 is able to determine that the received assignment message 274 ₁matches its transmitted multilateration request message 270 ₁. Further,the multiple instances of MS specific reference information (i.e., ShortID values) in the EC Immediate Assignment Type 3 message allow theserving BSS 202 ₁ to address (i.e., to acknowledge access requests),within the single message, multiple MSs performing the MTA procedureusing the Access Burst method.

On receipt of an EC Immediate Assignment Type 3 message corresponding toits last EC Multilateration Request message (when the Access Burstmethod is used), the MS 204 stops sending EC Multilateration Requestmessages, considers the MTA procedure as successfully completed in thecurrent cell, tunes to the next cell in the list of applicable cells,and performs the MTA procedure therein.

Basic Functionalities-Configurations of the MS 204 and the BSS 202 ₁,202 ₂, 202 ₃

Referring to FIG. 8, there is a flowchart of a method 800 implemented ina mobile station 204 that is configured to interact with a BSS 202 ₁(the serving BSS 202 ₁) in accordance with an embodiment of the presentdisclosure. The mobile station 204 is enabled for PEO and capable ofperforming an MTA procedure. At step 802, the mobile station 204receives an MTA request message for the mobile station 204 to perform aradio access part of the MTA procedure (note: the serving SMLC 206 ₁originally transmits the MTA request message, which is then transmittedby the BSS 202 ₁ to the mobile station 204). At step 804, the mobilestation 204 transmits, to the BSS 202 ₁, a multilateration requestmessage 270 ₁ that indicates an Access Burst method for performing theMTA procedure. At step 806, the mobile station 204 receives, from theBSS 202 ₁, an assignment message 274 ₁ acknowledging that the BSS 202 ₁received the multilateration request message 270 ₁ without assigningradio resources for the mobile station 204. In some embodiments, theassignment message 274 ₁ includes a first IE 278 for indicating that noTBF resources are assigned to the mobile station 204. At step 808, themobile station 204 can determine that a value of the first IE 278indicates that no TBF resources are assigned to the mobile station 204.Upon such a determination, the mobile station 204 can (at step 810)determine if the assignment message 274 ₁ matches the multilaterationrequest message 270 ₁ transmitted to the BSS 202 ₁. The determination ofa match can be made, at step 810 a, by the mobile station 204determining if a value of a Short ID field 276 included in a second IEof the assignment message matches a value of a Short ID field 272included in the multilateration request message 270 ₁. In someembodiments, the second IE of the assignment message 274 ₁ includes aplurality of Short ID field values allowing the BSS 202 ₁ to address,within the assignment message 274 ₁, a plurality of mobile stationsperforming the MTA procedure using the Access Burst method. In someembodiments, the assignment message 274 ₁ excludes a ‘ChannelDescription’ IE and a ‘Packet Channel Description’ IE such that a legacymobile station that is incapable of performing the MTA procedure willnot determine that the assignment message 274 ₁ matches a packet channelrequest message previously transmitted by the legacy mobile station. Itshould be appreciated that the mobile station 204 would also performthese steps with the other BSSs 202 ₂ and 202 ₃.

Referring to FIG. 9, there is a block diagram illustrating structures ofan exemplary mobile station 204 in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent disclosure. The mobile station 204 is enabled for PEO andcapable of performing an MTA procedure. In one embodiment, the mobilestation 204 comprises a first receive module 902, a transmit module 904,a second receive module 906, an optional first determine module 908, andan optional second determine module 910. The first receive module 902 isconfigured to receive an MTA request message for the mobile station 204to perform a radio access part of the MTA procedure. The transmit module904 is configured to transmit, to the BSS 202 ₁, a multilaterationrequest message 270 ₁ that indicates an Access Burst method forperforming the MTA procedure. The second receive module 906 isconfigured to receive, from the BSS 202 ₁, an assignment message 274 ₁acknowledging that the BSS 202 ₁ received the multilateration requestmessage 270 ₁ without assigning radio resources for the mobile station204. The optional first determine module 908 is configured to determinethat a value of the first IE 278 indicates that no TBF resources areassigned to the mobile station 204. The optional second determine module910 is configured to determine if the assignment message 274 ₁ matchesthe multilateration request message 270 ₁ transmitted to the BSS 202 ₁.For example, the optional second determine module 910 can be furtherconfigured to determine if a value of a Short ID field 276 included in asecond IE of the assignment message matches a value of a Short ID field272 included in the multilateration request message 270 ₁. It should benoted that the mobile station 204 may also include other components,modules or structures which are well-known, but for clarity, only thecomponents, modules or structures needed to describe the features of thepresent disclosure are described herein.

As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the above-described modules902, 904, 906, 908, and 910 of the mobile station 204 may be implementedseparately as suitable dedicated circuits. Further, the modules 902,904, 906, 908, and 910 can also be implemented using any number ofdedicated circuits through functional combination or separation. In someembodiments, the modules 902, 904, 906, 908, and 910 may be evencombined in a single application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Asan alternative software-based implementation, the mobile station 204 maycomprise a memory 224, a processor 222 (including but not limited to amicroprocessor, a microcontroller or a Digital Signal Processor (DSP),etc.) and a transceiver 214. The memory 224 stores machine-readableprogram code executable by the processor 222 to cause the mobile station204 to perform the steps of the above-described method 800.

Referring to FIG. 10, there is a flowchart of a method 1000 implementedin a mobile station 204 that is configured to interact with a BSS 202 ₁(the serving BSS 202 ₁) in accordance with an embodiment of the presentdisclosure. The mobile station 204 is enabled for PEO and capable ofperforming an MTA procedure. At step 1002, the mobile station 204receives an MTA request message for the mobile station 204 to perform aradio access part of the MTA procedure (note: the serving SMLC 206 ₁originally transmits the MTA request message, which is then transmittedby the BSS 202 ₁ to the mobile station 204). At step 1004, the mobilestation 204 transmits, to the BSS 202 ₁, a multilateration requestmessage 270 ₁ that indicates an Access Burst method for performing theMTA procedure. At step 1006, the mobile station 204 receives, from theBSS 202 ₁, a packet assignment message 275 ₁ acknowledging that the BSS202 ₁ received the multilateration request message 270 ₁ withoutassigning packet resources for the mobile station 204. The packetassignment message 275 ₁ may exclude packet resource assignmentinformation. At step 1008, the mobile station 204 can determine that thepacket assignment message 275 ₁ excludes packet resource assignmentinformation. Upon such a determination, the mobile station 204 can (atstep 1010) determine if the packet assignment message 275 ₁ matches themultilateration request message 270 ₁ transmitted to the BSS 202 ₁. Thedetermination of a match can be made, at step 1010 a, by the mobilestation 204 determining if a value of a Short ID field 276 included inan IE of the packet assignment message 275 ₁ matches a value of a ShortID field 272 included in the multilateration request message 270 ₁. Insome embodiments, the IE of the packet assignment message 275 ₁ includesa plurality of Short ID field values allowing the BSS 202 ₁ to address,within the packet assignment message 275 ₁, a plurality of mobilestations performing the MTA procedure using the Access Burst method. Itshould be appreciated that the mobile station 204 would also performthese steps with the other BSSs 202 ₂ and 202 ₃.

Referring to FIG. 11, there is a block diagram illustrating structuresof an exemplary mobile station 204 in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present disclosure. The mobile station 204 is enabled for PEO andcapable of performing an MTA procedure. In one embodiment, the mobilestation 204 comprises a first receive module 1102, a transmit module1104, a second receive module 1106, an optional first determine module1108, and an optional second determine module 1110. The first receivemodule 1102 is configured to receive an MTA request message for themobile station 204 to perform a radio access part of the MTA procedure.The transmit module 1104 is configured to transmit, to the BSS 202 ₁, amultilateration request message 270 ₁ that indicates an Access Burstmethod for performing the MTA procedure. The second receive module 1106is configured to receive, from the BSS 202 ₁, a packet assignmentmessage 275 ₁ acknowledging that the BSS 202 ₁ received themultilateration request message 270 ₁ without assigning packet resourcesfor the mobile station 204. The optional first determine module 1108 isconfigured to determine that the packet assignment message 275 ₁excludes packet resource assignment information. The optional seconddetermine module 1110 is configured to determine if the packetassignment message 275 ₁ matches the multilateration request message 270₁ transmitted to the BSS 202 ₁. For example, the optional seconddetermine module 1110 can be further configured to determine if a valueof a Short ID field 276 included in an IE of the packet assignmentmessage 275 ₁ matches a value of a Short ID field 272 included in themultilateration request message 270 ₁. It should be noted that themobile station 204 may also include other components, modules orstructures which are well-known, but for clarity, only the components,modules or structures needed to describe the features of the presentdisclosure are described herein.

As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the above-described modules1102, 1104, 1106, 1108, and 1110 of the mobile station 204 may beimplemented separately as suitable dedicated circuits. Further, themodules 1102, 1104, 1106, 1108, and 1110 can also be implemented usingany number of dedicated circuits through functional combination orseparation. In some embodiments, the modules 1102, 1104, 1106, 1108, and1110 may be even combined in a single application specific integratedcircuit (ASIC). As an alternative software-based implementation, themobile station 204 may comprise a memory 224, a processor 222 (includingbut not limited to a microprocessor, a microcontroller or a DigitalSignal Processor (DSP), etc.) and a transceiver 214. The memory 224stores machine-readable program code executable by the processor 222 tocause the mobile station 204 to perform the steps of the above-describedmethod 1000.

Referring to FIG. 12, there is a flowchart of a method 1200 implementedin a mobile station 204 that is configured to interact with a BSS 202 ₁(the serving BSS 202 ₁) in accordance with an embodiment of the presentdisclosure. The mobile station 204 is enabled for EC operation andcapable of performing an MTA procedure. At step 1202, the mobile station204 receives an MTA request message for the mobile station 204 toperform a radio access part of the MTA procedure (note: the serving SMLC206 ₁ originally transmits the MTA request message, which is thentransmitted by the BSS 202 ₁ to the mobile station 204). At step 1204,the mobile station 204 transmits, to the BSS 202 ₁, a multilaterationrequest message 270 ₁ that indicates an Access Burst method forperforming the MTA procedure. At step 1206, the mobile station 204receives, from the BSS 202 ₁, an assignment message 274 ₁ acknowledgingthat the BSS 202 ₁ received the multilateration request message 270 ₁without assigning radio resources for the mobile station 204. In someembodiments, the assignment message 274 ₁ is an EC Immediate AssignmentType 3 message indicating that no TBF resources are assigned to themobile station 204. At step 1208, the mobile station 204 can determineif the assignment message 274 ₁ matches the multilateration requestmessage 270 ₁ transmitted to the BSS 202 ₁. The determination of a matchcan be made, at step 1208 a, by the mobile station 204 determining if avalue of a Short ID field 276 included in the assignment message 274 ₁matches a value of a Short ID field 272 included in the multilaterationrequest message 270 ₁. In some embodiments, the assignment message 274 ₁includes a plurality of short ID field values allowing the BSS 202 ₁ toaddress, within the assignment message 274 ₁, a plurality of mobilestations performing the MTA procedure using the Access Burst method. Itshould be appreciated that the mobile station 204 would also performthese steps with the other BSSs 202 ₂ and 202 ₃.

Referring to FIG. 13, there is a block diagram illustrating structuresof an exemplary mobile station 204 in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present disclosure. The mobile station 204 is enabled for ECoperation and capable of performing an MTA procedure. In one embodiment,the mobile station 204 comprises a first receive module 1302, a transmitmodule 1304, a second receive module 1306, and an optional determinemodule 1308. The first receive module 1302 is configured to receive anMTA request message for the mobile station 204 to perform a radio accesspart of the MTA procedure. The transmit module 1304 is configured totransmit, to the BSS 202 ₁, a multilateration request message 270 ₁ thatindicates an Access Burst method for performing the MTA procedure. Thesecond receive module 1306 is configured to receive, from the BSS 202 ₁,an assignment message 274 ₁ acknowledging that the BSS 202 ₁ receivedthe multilateration request message 270 ₁ without assigning radioresources for the mobile station 204. The optional determine module 1308is configured to determine if the assignment message 274 ₁ matches themultilateration request message 270 ₁ transmitted to the BSS 202 ₁. Forexample, the optional determine module 1308 can be further configured todetermine if a value of a Short ID field 276 included in the assignmentmessage 274 ₁ matches a value of a Short ID field 272 included in themultilateration request message 270 ₁. It should be noted that themobile station 204 may also include other components, modules orstructures which are well-known, but for clarity, only the components,modules or structures needed to describe the features of the presentdisclosure are described herein.

As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the above-described modules1302, 1304, 1306, and 1308 of the mobile station 204 may be implementedseparately as suitable dedicated circuits. Further, the modules 1302,1304, 1306, and 1308 can also be implemented using any number ofdedicated circuits through functional combination or separation. In someembodiments, the modules 1302, 1304, 1306, and 1308 may be even combinedin a single application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). As analternative software-based implementation, the mobile station 204 maycomprise a memory 224, a processor 222 (including but not limited to amicroprocessor, a microcontroller or a Digital Signal Processor (DSP),etc.) and a transceiver 214. The memory 224 stores machine-readableprogram code executable by the processor 222 to cause the mobile station204 to perform the steps of the above-described method 1200.

Referring to FIG. 14, there is a flowchart of a method 1400 implementedin a BSS 202 ₁ (for example) configured to interact with mobile station204 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Themobile station 204 is enabled for PEO and capable of performing an MTAprocedure. At step 1402, the BSS 202 ₁ receives, from the mobile station204, a multilateration request message 270 ₁ that indicates an AccessBurst method for performing the MTA procedure. At step 1404, the BSS 202₁ can set a value of a first IE 278 included in an assignment message274 ₁ to indicate that no TBF resources are assigned to the mobilestation 204. At step 1406, the BSS 202 ₁ can set a value of a Short IDfield 276 included in a second IE of the assignment message 274 ₁ to avalue of a Short ID field 272 included in the multilateration requestmessage 270 ₁. At step 1408, the BSS 202 ₁ transmits, to the mobilestation 204, the assignment message 274 ₁ acknowledging that the BSS 202₁ received the multilateration request message 270 ₁ without assigningradio resources for the mobile station 204. In some embodiments, theassignment message 274 ₁ includes the first IE 278 for indicating thatno TBF resources are assigned to the mobile station 204. In someembodiments, the second IE of the assignment message 274 ₁ includes aplurality of Short ID field values allowing the BSS 202 ₁ to address,within the assignment message 274 ₁, a plurality of mobile stationsperforming the MTA procedure using the Access Burst method. In someembodiments, the assignment message 274 ₁ excludes a ‘ChannelDescription’ IE and a ‘Packet Channel Description’ IE such that a legacymobile station that is incapable of performing the MTA procedure willnot determine that the assignment message 274 ₁ matches a packet channelrequest message previously transmitted by the legacy mobile station. Itshould be appreciated that the BSSs 202 ₂ and 202 ₃ would also performthese steps with the mobile station 204.

Referring to FIG. 15, there is a block diagram illustrating structuresof an exemplary BSS 202 ₁ (for example) in accordance with an embodimentof the present disclosure. The BSS 202 ₁ is configured to interact witha mobile station 204 that is enabled for PEO and capable of performingan MTA procedure. In one embodiment, the BSS 202 ₁ comprises a receivemodule 1502, an optional first set module 1504, an optional second setmodule 1506, and a transmit module 1508. The receive module 1502 isconfigured to receive, from the mobile station 204, a multilaterationrequest message 270 ₁ that indicates an Access Burst method forperforming the MTA procedure. The optional first set module 1504 isconfigured to set a value of a first IE 278 included in an assignmentmessage 274 ₁ to indicate that no TBF resources are assigned to themobile station 204. The optional second set module 1506 is configured toset a value of a Short ID field 276 included in a second IE of theassignment message 274 ₁ to a value of a Short ID field 272 included inthe multilateration request message 270 ₁. The transmit module 1508 isconfigured to transmit, to the mobile station 204, the assignmentmessage 274 ₁ acknowledging that the BSS 202 ₁ received themultilateration request message 270 ₁ without assigning radio resourcesfor the mobile station 204. It should be noted that the BSS 202 ₁ mayalso include other components, modules or structures which arewell-known, but for clarity, only the components, modules or structuresneeded to describe the features of the present disclosure are describedherein.

As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the above-described modules1502, 1504, 1506, and 1508 of the BSS 202 ₁ may be implementedseparately as suitable dedicated circuits. Further, the modules 1502,1504, 1506, and 1508 can also be implemented using any number ofdedicated circuits through functional combination or separation. In someembodiments, the modules 1502, 1504, 1506, and 1508 may be even combinedin a single application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). As analternative software-based implementation, the BSS 202 ₁ may comprise amemory 2501, a processor 2481 (including but not limited to amicroprocessor, a microcontroller or a Digital Signal Processor (DSP),etc.) and a transceiver 2381. The memory 2501 stores machine-readableprogram code executable by the processor 2481 to cause the BSS 202 ₁ toperform the steps of the above-described method 1400. It is to be notedthat the other BSSs 202 ₂ and 202 ₃ may be configured the same as BSS202 ₁.

Referring to FIG. 16, there is a flowchart of a method 1600 implementedin a BSS 202 ₁ (for example) configured to interact with mobile station204 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Themobile station 204 is enabled for PEO and capable of performing an MTAprocedure. At step 1602, the BSS 202 ₁ receives, from the mobile station204, a multilateration request message 270 ₁ that indicates an AccessBurst method for performing the MTA procedure. At step 1604, the BSS 202₁ can code a packet assignment message 275 ₁ to exclude packet resourceassignment information. At step 1606, the BSS 202 ₁ can set a value of aShort ID field 276 included in an IE of the packet assignment message275 ₁ to a value of a Short ID field 272 included in the multilaterationrequest message 270 ₁. At step 1608, the BSS 202 ₁ transmits, to themobile station 204, the packet assignment message 275 ₁ acknowledgingthat the BSS 202 ₁ received the multilateration request message 270 ₁without assigning packet resources for the mobile station 204. In someembodiments, the packet assignment message 275 ₁ excludes packetresource assignment information. In some embodiments, the IE of thepacket assignment message 275 ₁ includes a plurality of Short ID fieldvalues allowing the BSS 202 ₁ to address, within the packet assignmentmessage 275 ₁, a plurality of mobile stations performing the MTAprocedure using the Access Burst method. It should be appreciated thatthe BSSs 202 ₂ and 202 ₃ would also perform these steps with the mobilestation 204.

Referring to FIG. 17, there is a block diagram illustrating structuresof an exemplary BSS 202 ₁ (for example) in accordance with an embodimentof the present disclosure. The BSS 202 ₁ is configured to interact witha mobile station 204 that is enabled for PEO and capable of performingan MTA procedure. In one embodiment, the BSS 202 ₁ comprises a receivemodule 1702, an optional code module 1704, an optional set module 1706,and a transmit module 1708. The receive module 1702 is configured toreceive, from the mobile station 204, a multilateration request message270 ₁ that indicates an Access Burst method for performing the MTAprocedure. The optional code module 1704 is configured to code a packetassignment message 275 ₁ to exclude packet resource assignmentinformation. The optional set module 1706 is configured to set a valueof a Short ID field 276 included in an IE of the packet assignmentmessage 275 ₁ to a value of a Short ID field 272 included in themultilateration request message 270 ₁. The transmit module 1708 isconfigured to transmit, to the mobile station 204, the packet assignmentmessage 275 ₁ acknowledging that the BSS 202 ₁ received themultilateration request message 270 ₁ without assigning packet resourcesfor the mobile station 204. It should be noted that the BSS 202 ₁ mayalso include other components, modules or structures which arewell-known, but for clarity, only the components, modules or structuresneeded to describe the features of the present disclosure are describedherein.

As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the above-described modules1702, 1704, 1706, and 1708 of the BSS 202 ₁ may be implementedseparately as suitable dedicated circuits. Further, the modules 1702,1704, 1706, and 1708 can also be implemented using any number ofdedicated circuits through functional combination or separation. In someembodiments, the modules 1702, 1704, 1706, and 1708 may be even combinedin a single application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). As analternative software-based implementation, the BSS 202 ₁ may comprise amemory 2501, a processor 2481 (including but not limited to amicroprocessor, a microcontroller or a Digital Signal Processor (DSP),etc.) and a transceiver 2381. The memory 2501 stores machine-readableprogram code executable by the processor 2481 to cause the BSS 202 ₁ toperform the steps of the above-described method 1600. It is to be notedthat the other BSSs 202 ₂ and 202 ₃ may be configured the same as BSS202 ₁.

Referring to FIG. 18, there is a flowchart of a method 1800 implementedin a BSS 202 ₁ (for example) configured to interact with mobile station204 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Themobile station 204 is enabled for EC operation and capable of performingan MTA procedure. At step 1802, the BSS 202 ₁ receives, from the mobilestation 204, a multilateration request message 270 ₁ that indicates anAccess Burst method for performing the MTA procedure. At step 1804, theBSS 202 ₁ can set a value of a Short ID field 276 included in anassignment message 274 ₁ to a value of a Short ID field 272 included inthe multilateration request message 270 ₁. At step 1806, the BSS 202 ₁transmits, to the mobile station 204, the assignment message 274 ₁acknowledging that the BSS 202 ₁ received the multilateration requestmessage 270 ₁ without assigning radio resources for the mobile station204. In some embodiments, the assignment message 274 ₁ is an ECImmediate Assignment Type 3 message indicating that no TBF resources areassigned to the mobile station 204. In some embodiments, the assignmentmessage 274 ₁ includes a plurality of short ID field values allowing theBSS 202 ₁ to address, within the assignment message 274 ₁, a pluralityof mobile stations performing the MTA procedure using the Access Burstmethod. It should be appreciated that the BSSs 202 ₂ and 202 ₃ wouldalso perform these steps with the mobile station 204.

Referring to FIG. 19, there is a block diagram illustrating structuresof an exemplary BSS 202 ₁ (for example) in accordance with an embodimentof the present disclosure. The BSS 202 ₁ is configured to interact witha mobile station 204 that is enabled for EC operation and capable ofperforming an MTA procedure. In one embodiment, the BSS 202 ₁ comprisesa receive module 1902, an optional set module 1904, and a transmitmodule 1906. The receive module 1902 is configured to receive, from themobile station 204, a multilateration request message 270 ₁ thatindicates an Access Burst method for performing the MTA procedure. Theoptional set module 1904 is configured to set a value of a Short IDfield 276 included in an assignment message 274 ₁ to a value of a ShortID field 272 included in the multilateration request message 270 ₁. Thetransmit module 1906 is configured to transmit, to the mobile station204, the assignment message 274 ₁ acknowledging that the BSS 202 ₁received the multilateration request message 270 ₁ without assigningradio resources for the mobile station 204. It should be noted that theBSS 202 ₁ may also include other components, modules or structures whichare well-known, but for clarity, only the components, modules orstructures needed to describe the features of the present disclosure aredescribed herein.

As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the above-described modules1902, 1904, and 1906 of the BSS 202 ₁ may be implemented separately assuitable dedicated circuits. Further, the modules 1902, 1904, and 1906can also be implemented using any number of dedicated circuits throughfunctional combination or separation. In some embodiments, the modules1902, 1904, and 1906 may be even combined in a single applicationspecific integrated circuit (ASIC). As an alternative software-basedimplementation, the BSS 202 ₁ may comprise a memory 2501, a processor2481 (including but not limited to a microprocessor, a microcontrolleror a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), etc.) and a transceiver 2381. Thememory 2501 stores machine-readable program code executable by theprocessor 2481 to cause the BSS 202 ₁ to perform the steps of theabove-described method 1800. It is to be noted that the other BSSs 202 ₂and 202 ₃ may be configured the same as BSS 202 ₁.

In view of the foregoing disclosure, it will be readily appreciated thatit is beneficial for a BSS to be able to send confirmation of an accessattempt to an MS, either enabled for PEO or EC operation, that attemptssystem access for the purpose of performing the MTA procedure using theAccess Burst method without also unnecessarily assigning radio resourcesto the MS, which is not needed when using the Access Burst method.Further, the disclosed techniques provide multiple instances of a‘Request Reference’ IE to be included in the Immediate Assignmentmessage or multiple instances of the ‘Short ID’ IE to be included in theImmediate Packet Assignment message, which allows multiple mobilestations using the Access Burst method to be addressed by a singleinstance of these messages. Moreover, a new EC Immediate Assignment Type3 message is defined that can contain multiple instances of MS specificreference information, wherein each instance is set according to theShort ID value included in an access request for which the BSS needs tosend a corresponding response. Accordingly, a BSS is able to addressmultiple mobile stations using the Access Burst method within a singlenew EC Immediate Assignment Type 3 message.

A legacy mobile station that is not MTA capable and attempting systemaccess, upon receiving an Immediate Assignment message, an ImmediatePacket Assignment message, or the new EC Immediate Assignment Type 3message will be incapable of acting on the message even if it interpretsthe message as corresponding to (i.e., matching) its attempted systemaccess. However, for the Immediate Assignment message and the ImmediatePacket Assignment message, a legacy mobile station will still be able todetermine if the BSS has enabled the Implicit Reject feature for thePacket Switched (PS) domain and act accordingly, which maintains theefficiency and precision with which the BSS can manage the ImplicitReject feature.

It should be appreciated that in the above described embodiments thatthese embodiments are exemplary and not mutually exclusive. For example,components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present inanother embodiment and it will be obvious to a person skilled in the arthow those components may be used in the other exemplary embodiments.

The exemplary embodiments described herein have been exemplified withGlobal System for Mobile telephony (GSM)/Enhanced Data rates for GSMEvolution (EDGE) as the communications network 600. The radio accessnetwork node 202 ₁ (controller node 202 ₁) has been exemplified hereinas being a BSS 202 ₁ but generally the radio access network node 202 ₁may be any type of radio access network node 202 ₁ that is serving themobile station as well.

It should further be noted that, to anyone skilled in the art, there areseveral realizations of the embodiments described herein withprincipally equivalent functionality where e.g., the introduced fields,information elements, and messages may be longer or shorter or evenomitted. In addition, it should be noted that field, informationelement, and message names may change during the course of thespecification work, which implies the changed names shall be consideredto be equivalent so long as the principal use/function remain the same.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the use of the term“exemplary” is used herein to mean “illustrative,” or “serving as anexample,” and is not intended to imply that a particular embodiment ispreferred over another or that a particular feature is essential.Likewise, the terms “first” and “second,” and similar terms, are usedsimply to distinguish one particular instance of an item or feature fromanother, and do not indicate a particular order or arrangement, unlessthe context clearly indicates otherwise. Further, the term “step,” asused herein, is meant to be synonymous with “operation” or “action.” Anydescription herein of a sequence of steps does not imply that theseoperations must be carried out in a particular order, or even that theseoperations are carried out in any order at all, unless the context orthe details of the described operation clearly indicates otherwise.

Of course, the present disclosure may be carried out in other specificways than those herein set forth without departing from the scope andessential characteristics of the invention. One or more of the specificprocesses discussed above may be carried out in a cellular phone orother communications transceiver comprising one or more appropriatelyconfigured processing circuits, which may in some embodiments beembodied in one or more application-specific integrated circuits(ASICs). In some embodiments, these processing circuits may comprise oneor more microprocessors, microcontrollers, and/or digital signalprocessors programmed with appropriate software and/or firmware to carryout one or more of the operations described above, or variants thereof.In some embodiments, these processing circuits may comprise customizedhardware to carry out one or more of the functions described above. Thepresent embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive.

Although multiple embodiments of the present disclosure have beenillustrated in the accompanying Drawings and described in the foregoingDetailed Description, it should be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed embodiments, but instead is also capable ofnumerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions withoutdeparting from the present disclosure that as has been set forth anddefined within the following claims.

1. A mobile station configured to interact with a base station subsystem(BSS), the mobile station enabled for power efficient operation (PEO)and capable of performing a multilateration timing advance (MTA)procedure, the mobile station comprising: a processor; and, a memorythat stores processor-executable instructions, wherein the processorinterfaces with the memory to execute the processor-executableinstructions, whereby the mobile station is operable to: receive an MTArequest message for the mobile station to perform a radio access part ofthe MTA procedure; transmit, to the BSS, a multilateration requestmessage that indicates an Access Burst method for performing the MTAprocedure; and receive, from the BSS, a packet assignment messageacknowledging that the BSS received the multilateration request messagewithout assigning packet resources for the mobile station.
 2. The mobilestation of claim 1, wherein the packet assignment message excludespacket resource assignment information.
 3. The mobile station of claim2, wherein the mobile station is further operable to: determine that thepacket assignment message excludes packet resource assignmentinformation; and in response to determining that the packet assignmentmessage excludes packet resource assignment information, determine ifthe packet assignment message matches the multilateration requestmessage transmitted to the BSS.
 4. The mobile station of claim 3,wherein the mobile station is further operable to determine if thepacket assignment message matches the multilateration request message bydetermining if a Short ID field value included in an information element(IE) of the packet assignment message matches a Short ID field valueincluded in the multilateration request message.
 5. The mobile stationof claim 4, wherein the IE of the packet assignment message includes aplurality of Short ID field values allowing the BSS to address, withinthe packet assignment message, a plurality of mobile stations performingthe MTA procedure using the Access Burst method.
 6. A method in a mobilestation configured to interact with a base station subsystem (BSS), themobile station enabled for power efficient operation (PEO) and capableof performing a multilateration timing advance (MTA) procedure, themethod comprising: receiving an MTA request message for the mobilestation to perform a radio access part of the MTA procedure;transmitting, to the BSS, a multilateration request message thatindicates an Access Burst method for performing the MTA procedure; andreceiving, from the BSS, a packet assignment message acknowledging thatthe BSS received the multilateration request message without assigningpacket resources for the mobile station.
 7. The method of claim 6,wherein the packet assignment message excludes packet resourceassignment information.
 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:determining that the packet assignment message excludes packet resourceassignment information; and in response to determining that the packetassignment message excludes packet resource assignment information,determining if the packet assignment message matches the multilaterationrequest message transmitted to the BSS.
 9. The method of claim 8,wherein determining if the packet assignment message matches themultilateration request message comprises determining if a Short IDfield value included in an information element (IE) of the packetassignment message matches a Short ID field value included in themultilateration request message.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein theIE of the packet assignment message includes a plurality of Short IDfield values allowing the BSS to address, within the packet assignmentmessage, a plurality of mobile stations performing the MTA procedureusing the Access Burst method.
 11. A Base Station Subsystem (BSS)configured to interact with a mobile station, the mobile station enabledfor power efficient operation (PEO) and capable of performing amultilateration timing advance (MTA) procedure, the BSS comprising: aprocessor; and, a memory that stores processor-executable instructions,wherein the processor interfaces with the memory to execute theprocessor-executable instructions, whereby the BSS is operable to:receive, from the mobile station, a multilateration request message thatindicates an Access Burst method for performing the MTA procedure; andtransmit, to the mobile station, a packet assignment messageacknowledging that the BSS received the multilateration request messagewithout assigning packet resources for the mobile station.
 12. The BSSof claim 11, wherein the packet assignment message excludes packetresource assignment information.
 13. The BSS of claim 12, wherein theBSS is further operable to: code the packet assignment message toexclude packet resource assignment information.
 14. The BSS of claim 13,wherein the BSS is further operable to: set a Short ID field valueincluded in an information element (IE) of the packet assignment messageto a Short ID field value included in the multilateration requestmessage.
 15. The BSS of claim 14, wherein the IE of the packetassignment message includes a plurality of Short ID field valuesallowing the BSS to address, within the packet assignment message, aplurality of mobile stations performing the MTA procedure using theAccess Burst method.
 16. A method Base Station Subsystem (BSS)configured to interact with a mobile station, the mobile station enabledfor power efficient operation (PEO) and capable of performing amultilateration timing advance (MTA) procedure, the BSS comprising:receiving, from the mobile station, a multilateration request messagethat indicates an Access Burst method for performing the MTA procedure;and transmitting, to the mobile station, a packet assignment messageacknowledging that the BSS received the multilateration request messagewithout assigning packet resources for the mobile station.
 17. Themethod of claim 16, wherein the packet assignment message excludespacket resource assignment information.
 18. The method of claim 17,further comprising: coding the packet assignment message to excludepacket resource assignment information.
 19. The method of claim 18,further comprising: setting a Short ID field value included in aninformation element (IE) of the packet assignment message to a Short IDfield value included in the multilateration request message.
 20. Themethod of claim 19, wherein the IE of the packet assignment messageincludes a plurality of Short ID field values allowing the BSS toaddress, within the packet assignment message, a plurality of mobilestations performing the MTA procedure using the Access Burst method.